On 17 October 2015 Sudan entered the Yemen War with its ground troops. The first Sudanian troops arrived at Aden and numbered about a battalion. The Sunni coalition fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthi regime in Yemen now includes Saudi, Emirati, Egyptian, Qatari, Bahreini and Sudanian forces, besides the forces of the Yemeni government itself.

While the Sunni coalition forces are on the offensive and gradually take ground, Houthi forces are offering stiff resistance.

Forces of the Sunni coalition took town of Dhubab from the Houthis on 9 October 2015. Dhubab is located on the Red Sea coast.

This new success of the Sunni coalition comes soon after it took over Bab al-Mandab Strait coast on 1 October. Now their new target in the area is the town of Mocha, which is still in the Houthis’ hands.

On 1 October 2015 forces of the Sunni coalition recaptured the Yemeni side of the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. They also took over the Perim Island located in the strait.

Bab al-Mandab Straitis one of crucial sea lane chokepoints, which gives it critical global geopolitical significance. Long-term control of this strategic position by the Houthi regime, which is a part if the Iranian sphere of influence, could have very significant consequences for the global balance of power.

This territorial loss by the Houthis comes after a period when the Sunni coalition’s offensive was somewhat stagnating, bogged down as it is in positional fighting in the city of Taiz and the area near Marib.

On 7 September 2015 the word spread that Qatar has sent to Yemen around 1000 troops with more than 200 armored vehicles and 30 Apache combat helicopters. The troops will reportedly join the Sunni coalition forces fighting against the Houthis in the Marib province. More Qatari forces are expected in the near future.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are already engaged in the war in Yemen with both their air power and ground troops. Now they have been joined by Qatar, who until now refrained from direct military participation while diplomatically supporting the Saudi and Emirati campaign.

While Qatar used to play its own game in the Middle East, being more aligned to Turkey than to its fellow Gulf monarchies, around December 2014 Qatar somewhat changed its foreign strategy. Now it obviously is making more efforts to coordinate its own actions with Saudi Arabia than it used to. Qatar’s direct engagement in the Yemen War, which pits the Gulf Arabian monarchies’ interests against those of Iran, is another indication of this change.

As to the military situation itself, after making considerable territorial gains against Houthis in August 2015, the Sunni coalition forces are now engaged in positional fighting with Houthis, mainly in the areas of Taiz and Marib.

The Sunni coalition in Yemen, consisting of the government forces, supporting tribes and militias, and forces of Saudi Arabia and UAE, has made advances against the Iranian-supported Houthis.

During the 15-16 August weekend the Sunni coalition seized Houthi-controlled areas in the Shabwa province in central Yemen. The coalition’s gains include Ataq town. The coalition is also continuing its offensive in the west, claiming to have taken government buildings in the city of Taiz. As of 20 August 2015, however, the coalition has not managed to establish full control over Taiz and Ibb – another important city nearby. Nevertheless, the coalition clearly has the momentum, putting Houthis on the defensive.

The Yemeni government forces, together with allied Sunni groups and supported by Saudi Arabia and UAE, have inflicted another series of defeats on the Houthis in the south of Yemen.

After the Houthis’ defeat in Aden, the early August saw them in general retreat as their foes recovered several districts in southern Yemen, including towns of Lahij, Zinjibar, Al Anad, Shogra and Lawdar among others. As a result, the Sunni coalition has acquired a solid territorial base in Yemen – something that was not there after the Houthis’ successes several months ago. However, the Iranian-backed rebels still control most of the country’s core, and the Sunni coalition’s forces are likely to encounter stronger resistance if they continue their advance into the areas with significant Shia population.